Friday, January 3, 2014

Visit Malaysia Year 2014 - The Camera Museum, Penang

2014 will be an eventful year as Malaysia welcomes millions of tourists to celebrate Visit Malaysia Year 2014. To do my part as a Malaysian, I will be posting interesting spots and tourist attractions all over the country every week. This weekly entry will be out every Friday so that you can have the weekend to explore it. Let us all work together in bringing tourists into Malaysia!

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There are never ending attractions in Georgetown, Penang and the latest one to arrive in this Pearl of the Oriental is The Camera Museum. Occupied an old Chinese shophouse along Muntri Street, this museum traces the development of camera from the discovery of spectrum of light to the latest version of camera.

Big vintage camera greets you at the entrance

Opened since July last year, The Camera Museum has constantly on my news feeds, tempting me with images of its collections. I finally managed to drop by for a visit before year end with my friends.

The building that houses the museum is beautifully renovated, retaining its pre-war characteristics while imbuing with modern features. Most of its vintage cameras collection, an around-the-world effort in getting them, are upstairs, safely encased in glasses.

They went through all around the world to collect these vintage cameras

Vintage 3D viewer

The museum is separated into few sections such as Dark Room, Pinhole Room, Obscura Room, Special Collections Rooms, Snap Shop and Double Exposure Cafe as well as exhibition room where photographers can submit their works for displays. You get to see cameras of various functions such as cameras used in world war, spy cameras and so on.

Large obscura camera

You get to play with it and see how it works

I personally enjoyed Obscura Room as I got to see how the world's oldest camera works. It is so fascinating to see images appeared on that big wooden box they called obscura camera. Another interesting section has to be the Dark Room for you get to experience how films are being developed back in those days. There is tour guide to give a thorough learning experience but he was on leave during our visit. You can relax at the Double Exposure Cafe and have a look at its souvenir shops after the tour.

Double Exposure Cafe

Snap Shop

What I like about this museum is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. There are mural arts inside the building for you to pose around with. In fact, you can play with some of the vintage cameras as well. This Camera Museum is definitely worth a visit.

Real vintage cameras being used as props for these mural arts

Info Box

The Camera Museum,

49, Lebuh Muntri, 10200 Penang.

Open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Adult RM 20, student and senior citizen RM 10, free entry for children below 12 years old (must be accompanied by adult)